Perfect Opposites
by Chasing Uncertainties
Summary: Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy learned to hate the other from their first year at Hogwarts. So why is it that they always find themselves talking, always find themselves drawn to each other like moths to a flame? Disclaiming/full summary inside. Written for Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenge's Next Generation Multi-Chapter competition.
1. Prologue

**Title: **Perfect opposites  
**Rating:**T for only language, I think.  
**Word count this chapter: **3,262 (not including author notes)  
**Disclaimer: **I by no means own the Harry Potter books or any of the characters in the universe J.K.R has created. I simply write about her world and some of the characters in it :). I also don't own any sort of references to actual existing companies, songs, et al out there.  
**Summary: **Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy learned to hate the other from their first year at Hogwarts. So why is it that they always find themselves talking, always find themselves drawn to each other like moths to a flame? -Scorpius and Rose's journey from hate in year one to love in year seven.  
**A/N:** So I'm excited to be posting this as it's my first story on this account (see profile), and I'm excited to see what sort of reaction it gets. It's Rose x Scorpius, so two characters who haven't really been introduced. I'll try my best to keep them in character from what I was given in the epilogue. That brings me to my next point- this chapter, the prologue, takes place in the epilogue of Deathly Hallows and there is a lot of 'setting the stage', so to speak, in this chapter. I'm guessing chapters will be around this long or occasionally a bit shorter. As a side note, the character Caitir Finnigan's name is pronounced KAH-tcheer (It's a Gaelic name). I think that's all for now! I _love _reviews, more than life itself, so if you were to drop me one or add me to your favourites/follows list that would make my life. I accept constructive criticism! Thanks guys!

* * *

..Prologue..

When Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy locked eyes for the first time, they were sure that they were going to be enemies.

It was obvious why. Rose was a Weasley, and Scorpius was a Malfoy.

They wouldn't mix. They wouldn't talk.

Simple.

Only, it wasn't that simple.

* * *

Thick clouds issue from a scarlet steam engine and stressed mothers make sure that their children have all of the clothing and equipment they need. Friends find each other after a long summer with cries of delight. Owls hoot and cats meow. Toads croak. Rats sit dully, their owners prodding them with wands in the hopes that they'll do something interesting. Families bustle around and children load their trunks onto the train.

After a quiet summer, the Hogwarts Express is ready to take hundreds of students back to school. Back to Transfiguration, Herbology, and Potions, back to Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Divination, (Merlin forbid) History of Magic, Astronomy, Muggle Studies and Arithmacy (if _anyone _has signed up for it). Back to lavish dinners and four-poster beds, fireplaces and Quidditch practices.

You can feel the excitement in the air.

Rose Weasley can, at least. After years and years of waiting, after James's and Teddy's and Victoire's exciting stories about Hogwarts and its magical classes, the anticipation has been killing her. She's waited years and years for a glimpse of Hogwarts, and now she's going to get one. Rose is, in fact, so eager that she's already got her brand-new robes on.

"Rose, Hugo, come on!" Mum tugs at Rose's sleeve, looking rather melancholy or maybe a little nostalgic. "This way to get on the train, hurry up."

"Hermione!" Dad says. "Aren't we waiting for Harry and Ginny?"

"Yeah! Yeah, I want to see James and Al and Lily!" Exclaims Hugo.

"Well, Ron, if you can tell me where they are in all this chaos, I'll happily meet up with them," Replies Hermione cuttingly, craning her neck around.

"No, wait… yes, I think that's them," Ron says suddenly, pointing to four figures towards the front of the train.

"No, there's only four of them, it can't be!" Rose argues, but the Potter family emerges from the mist ahead. James isn't anywhere to be seen.

"Hi," Albus grins.

"Nervous?" Rose asks. "I know I am."

"Excited," He says, "But nervous... There's so much pressure, like. Especially about this whole sorting business."

"I know," Rose agrees wholeheartedly, relieved that someone shares her feelings.

Lily and Hugo are chatting excitedly about the houses they'll be sorted into when _they _go to Hogwarts. Upon hearing them, dad says, "If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disinherit you. But no pressure."

Although Rose's younger brother and cousin giggle, she doesn't say anything, out of sheer nerves. She knows dad's words are supposed to be a joke but they don't make her laugh.

"Look who it is," Dad says suddenly, and the eight people turn to face a family of three, whose faces are barely visible in the thinning mist. A man with a pointed chin and white-blonde hair stands with his son and wife. "So that's little Scorpius," Dad continues. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Ron," Mum says exasperatedly. "Don't turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

Rose thinks the adults are talking about Draco Malfoy and his son. She wants to point out that dad has already fed her plenty of stories about how Scorpius Malfoy's father tried to kill her mum nineteen years ago; how he used to be evil, before he left the school, started a family and settled down and how he was rivals with uncle Harry. She's learned from a young age that when she and Scorpius end up in school together, they won't be friends. In fact, if mum and dad have their way, the two will be enemies. She can't help resenting Scorpius already, fueled by the hate of their parent's past rivalries.

"You're right, sorry. Don't get _too _friendly with him, though, Rosie. Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood," Dad adds.

Before Rose or mum has a chance to say anything, James comes running up, trunk and owl nowhere to be seen.

"Hey!" He says. "Teddy's back there. Just seen him! And guess what he's doing?" James asks, staring at the adults. "He's _snogging Victoire!" _

When the adults don't say anything, James repeats himself. "_Our _Teddy! _Teddy Lupin! _Snogging _our _Victoire! _Our _cousin! And I asked Teddy what he was doing-"

"You interrupted them?" Aunt Ginny asks incredulously. "You are _so _like Ron-"

"-and he said he'd come to see her off! And then he told me to go away," James adds in an offhand tone. "He's _snogging _her!"

"Oh, it would be lovely if they got married!" Lily whispers, excitement coursing through her voice. "Teddy would really be part of the family then!"

While uncle Harry points out that Teddy comes round for dinner about four times a week anyways, Rose tries to hold in her giggles, glancing back at Albus, who looks equally amused. _Teddy Lupin, _she thinks, snogging _my _cousin! Sure, she's always known he's sort of keen on her, but still! _Snogging _her! At a train station on the busiest day of the year!

"It's nearly eleven," Uncle Harry says suddenly. "You had better get on board."

Rose looks at her parents and hugs them both tightly, saying, "I'll miss you."

"Don't be silly, you'll be home for Christmas. And you'll write to us every week, won't you?" Mum asks, looking sad. "You can always use the school owls, we'll get you one of your own when you're a bit older."

"I was kidding about disinheriting you if you don't get into Gryffindor," Dad adds.

"I know. I love you. See you soon, then," Rose replies, permitting her mum to kiss her and then standing to wait for Albus.

"I'll meet you in a minute," He says, motioning for her to board. "By the way, d'you know why everyone's looking at our parents?"

"No idea," Rose replies, having wondered the exact same thing but not thinking much of it. She files onto the train with all the other excited students, searching for an empty compartment; upon finding one, she opens the window, sticks her head out, and waves to Hugo, mum and dad.

When Albus asks uncle Harry why, in fact, everyone is glancing their way, dad says, "Don't mind them. It's me. I'm extremely famous." Rose gives a laugh.

Albus boards the train; Rose's stomach clenches into a knot of nervousness and excitement as the doors close and it starts to move. She has officially begun her journey to Hogwarts.

All too soon, the train goes around a bend. King's Cross station vanishes and Rose stops waving. She slumps down, clutching her leather book bag. Staring at Albus, she asks, "Al, are you as scared as me?"

"Course. I don't want to get into Slytherin," Albus mutters.

"None of us do," Rose replies, fingering her red hair and suddenly feeling less excited than she did. "I feel like I have a lot to live up to."

"Don't worry, Rosie," Albus says reassuringly. "You're smart and pretty and nice and funny and lots of people will like you. Besides, dad says that the Sorting Hat takes your choice into consideration."

This is news to Rose. "The _Sorting Hat? _You've got to be joking."

"Dad just told me!" He exclaims. "He said you can tell the Hat what house you want and it takes your choice into considers this before sorting you. He said that's what he did."

"Crikey," Rose replies. "No one ever told _me _that."

"Me neither, not until a few minutes ago," Albus says excitedly. "But I'm glad to hear it, I am!"

Rose, fueled with new excitement, is about to reply, but a girl with sandy brown hair and a lost look steps into their compartment.

"Are you alright if I sit with you?" The girl asks with a thick Irish accent. "Only I don't know anyone here and all the compartments are full."

"Yeah, course," Rose beams. "I'm Rose and this is Al, who are you? We're going into first year. You look like a first year, too. What's your name? I guess I just asked that when I said 'who are you'." She realises that she says this far too quickly and then blushes.

"Er...What?" The girl asks.

"Rose has a lot to say," Albus explains. "She's my cousin. You can ignore most of the things that come out of her mouth."

"Hey!" Replies Rose indignantly.

The girl gives a little laugh, but a shaky one, a timid one. "I'm Caitir Finnigan."

"Albus Potter." (Caitir raises her eyebrows at this and Rose is not sure why.)

"Rose Weasley."

Surprise flashes in Caitir's eyes again but she doesn't comment. "Good to meet you," she grins. "What house d'you expect you'll be sorted into?"

Rose is tempted to huff, annoyed, and change the conversation. Why does everyone have to talk about the sorting ceremony so frequently? It only adds to her nerves, and frankly, she's scared enough as it is. Still, she figures Caitir probably hasn't had anyone to talk to, so she engages in conversation.

"Well, I'm hoping for Gryffindor, me," Rose explains. "My mum and dad-my whole family, actually-were in that house and there seems to be pressure for me to live up to those standards. I know there are lovely qualities in the other houses but Gryffindor just… I don't know…" she trails off. "Mum would be equally pleased with Ravenclaw, but everyone says Gryffindor is the best house and if I'm not the best, my parents might be disappointed." She sighs and hopes that Caitir noticed her effort to slow down her words.

"Mine were in that house, too," Caitir adds eagerly. "Mam says she'll always be proud of me, and dad says that as long as I learn to blow things up he'll know he raised me properly. I'm not sure what he meant by that. But Gryffindor being the 'brave' house and all, I think I'm expected to be sorted there, in a way."

Rose and Albus nod sympathetically and Caitir continues, "But you must have the most pressure on you, Albus. Your dad being the most famous Gryffindor of all time."

"_What?" _Albus and Rose demand in unison. Rose wants to laugh. Uncle Harry? The most famous Gryffindor of all time?

"What do you mean what?" Caitir asks. "I thought you'd know for certain. The whole story of Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter and the Horcruxes? It's been published in all sorts of books, but none of them written by Harry himself, I suppose."

"I'm really, really confused," Albus says, echoing Rose's thoughts perfectly.

"Maybe Harry didn't want to tell you," Caitir replies. "I shouldn't have said anything. Me mam'll be upset if she knows I've been saying things I'm not supposed to."

"Well you can't not tell us _now," _says Rose matter-of-factly, curiosity getting the best of her.

Heaving a sigh, Caitir says, "Well, I suppose there's no going back, is there?"

Rose shakes her head vigorously.

"I'm going to tell the short version," she informs them. "Mind you, it's not very short. There's all this stuff about Hallows and wands that I didn't really understand when mam and dad told me."

"Well, hurry up, then!" Albus exclaims. Rose shushes him.

"It started many, many years ago with an evil wizard called Voldemort," Caitir begins. "Lord Voldemort killed people just for the sake of killing them and inflicted fear upon everyone he met. Everyone was so scared of him that they couldn't speak his name; they called him You-Know-Who-but there was one thing Voldemort was scared of himself, and that was death. To get around this, Voldemort made these things called Horcruxes. I don't really understand this bit, but to make a Horcrux, you have to kill someone, and then a part of your soul latches onto a special object. These objects are virtually indestructible and hold little bits of people's souls in them. So if someone were to die, they would exist as this bodiless creature inside a Horcrux until they found another human to host their body. Or there's some sort of potion you can make to return to your former body. It costs a great deal to split your soul in two, but Voldemort, he split his into _seven. Seven _pieces of his soul lying around the world! He was seemingly immortal."

"Blimey," Albus says. "But what does that have to with my dad?"

"I'm getting to that part. See, Voldemort got this warning sign, like a prophecy or something, that said a boy born in the summer would defeat him. He knew of one; a baby named Harry Potter. So Harry's parents, who had an inside source, who told them Voldemort was hunting them and their baby down, and they figured they had best go into hiding. They did; but someone tipped off their place to Voldemort." Caitir's voice has taken on a hushed tone. "Voldemort entered the house one night, planning to kill the baby. This is the part I _really, really, _don't understand, but basically, when Voldemort tried to kill baby Harry, the one destined to destroy him, the killing curse rebounded. Harry's mam's profoundly powerful love for him protected him from the curse and she was killed instead. So instead of killing Harry, the curse shot back at Voldemort and hit him. But then, this is where the Horcruxes come in. Voldemort's soul latched onto the closest living thing it could find, which was Harry. Voldemort disappeared and many thought he was dead, but Harry Potter lived. The first one to withstand a killing curse from the bloke. Harry, for banishing You-Know-Who, became an instant hero. But there was a price: he had become Voldemort's last, unintentional, Horcrux."

"This is complicated," Rose remarks, trying her best to follow along.

"Well, Harry grew up normally, raised by his Muggle aunt and uncle," Caitir continues, ignoring Rose. "He found out he was a wizard on his eleventh birthday, and then he went to Hogwarts and had all sorts of adventures until his fourth year, when one of Voldemort's old followers resurrected him. Voldemort was back, and he was determined to kill Harry. Meanwhile, Harry's school Headmaster had given him a mission: destroy Voldemort's seven Horcruxes and then kill Lord Voldemort himself. So in his seventh year, Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione-"

"Hey! That's my mum and dad!"

"I'm never going to finish the story if you keep interrupting!" Caitir exclaims. "Anyways…They went searching for Horcruxes and they destroyed a whole bunch. And then finally Harry found out that he was the last Horcrux, the accidental one, and he realised he had to die for Voldemort to be properly killed… so he went and handed himself over to Voldemort in the woods. And when Voldemort tried to kill Harry, he couldn't, because of something about Harry being a Horcrux or his mother's love or Voldemort using some of Harry's blood to resurrect himself, I don't know, mam and dad didn't describe that very well either. But anyways, Harry didn't die and then he and Voldemort had this epic battle that mam and dad always talk about and then Harry won and since all the Horcruxes had been destroyed, he killed Voldemort, the greatest Dark Wizard of all time, once and for all! Cool, huh?"

"Blimey," Repeats Al.

"Bloody hell," Rose says. "He must have gotten so much attention. And it's _uncle Harry. _He _hates _attention. No wonder he never told any of us that story."

"Still," Albus says. "That's my dad! And your parents helped him out! Isn't that a great story?"

"It's pretty cool, I suppose," replies Rose, impressed. After a second, she adds, "Wow! Caitir, I'm glad you told us that. I was _wondering _why people were staring at us on the platform!"

There's a sudden knock on the compartment door and Rose, being closest, stands up to open it. On the other side of the door is a boy with pale white hair and a pointed chin. He stands in between a boy and a girl whose eyes glitter malevolently.

"We came to meet the other first years," The boy with the pointed chin says, sizing Rose up. He speaks coldly and holds himself in a way that suggests him superior to everyone else. "Who're you all?"

"Albus Potter."

"Rose Weasley," she introduces herself, thinking that this boy looks oddly familiar.

"Caitir Finnigan."

"Are you the son of the famous Harry Potter, by any chance?" The boy asks, nodding at Albus, grin spreading over his face.

"Yes," Albus replies defensively.

"And you're a _Weasley." _The boy turns to gaze critically at Rose.

"What of it?" She asks defiantly, disliking the stranger already.

"My father's told me about your families. Never liked your parents much. I'm Malfoy, by the way. Scorpius Malfoy."

"You!" Rose exclaims. "You're the one whose father was Draco Malfoy! Who tried to kill my mum when she was in seventh year."

"The mudblood, yeah," Scorpius snickers, looking very pleased with himself. Albus, Caitir and Rose gasp as one. Malfoy's friends laugh.

"Don't call her that," Rose replies fiercely, wishing this Malfoy boy would leave the compartment.

"Why not? She is one," He replies, laughing. "Well, of course she is. She was a _Gryffindor. _If I'm sorted into Gryffindor I might just go home."

"So you're hoping to go to Slytherin, then?" Rose asks, having learned since she was little that Gryffindor and Slytherin are rival houses.

"I'm not hoping to go there. I _know _I'll go there. I suppose you half-bloods will have to settle for a different house, though. See, Slytherin only takes _pure _wizards."

Rose wants to point out that she _is _a pure-blood, but at the moment she's only interested in telling Scorpius the opposite of what he wants to hear. "My dad warned me about you, Scorpius Malfoy," she snaps. "Now I can see why."

Malfoy smirks. "I'll go, then, if you don't want me around. See you, Finnigan, Potter, Weasley. It's been a… pleasure."

The boy strides away.

"I do _not _like him," Rose fumes angrily. She slams the compartment door, sits back down, and vows to hate Scorpius Malfoy for all her years at Hogwarts.

(She doesn't know it, but she's going to go back on this vow a million times over.)


	2. Year 1: I

**Word count this chapter: **3184  
**A/N:** I'm sorry it's a bit late. Sometimes it just takes a while to get the ideas flowing, you know? But anyways, this chapter was a bit longer than usual. Sorry. I'm planning to have 1/2 chapters per year at Hogwarts, just so you know. Hopefully this story won't be dreadfully long... But anyways! Here you go!

* * *

"Just forget about him, Rose," Caitir Finnigan says dismissively about Scorpius Malfoy for the hundredth time. "He's _trying _to make you upset."

"And succeeding," grumbles Rose.

"He's just being a git," Albus tries to console her. "Remember Uncle Ron's face when he talked about him and Mr. Malfoy? How it was so obvious he didn't like him? There was a reason. Scorpius is going to be in a different house than us, we'll barely have any classes with him, so you don't have to worry."

"Yeah, well," Rose sighs, "I s'pose you're right, but that doesn't make me dislike him any less."

The train begins to slow and a calm voice announces that they will reach Hogwarts in five minutes. Rose stares at Al and Caitir, eyes wide. "I know I've been excited for years but I'm more than a little nervous now," she confesses.

"Why?" Caitir asks. "Your parents will be proud of you no matter what house you're in."

Rose opens and closes her mouth a few times. "Well- I- I don't- I mean, I'm nervous about… classes, and… getting lost in the school, and…"

"You'll get over those things," replies Caitir, waving a hand. "You needn't _fuss." _

"She's right," Albus adds. "I've got to say, she's right."

"Thank you, Al, you're being very helpful," snaps Rose. They sit in terse silence for a few moments.

All three of them abruptly stop talking as the train slows to a halt. "This is it, then," Rose tells them. "Now I s'pose we'll find out if I have a right to be nervous or not."

"Well, everyone's _nervous, _but you've got to be nervous in a healthy way. You don't want to make yourself _sick," _Caitir chides. "I remember me mam and dad, telling me about their ceremonies. Mam`s whole family had told her about it and she wasn`t so nervous, see, but me dad, _his _dad was a muggle and his mam was a witch, and she was a bit of a prankster and fed him all sorts of lies about the sorting ceremony. They both lived to tell the tale and they're fine now."

Rose has realised that Caitir actually does talk quite a bit once you've gotten to know her and decides she rather likes her. Albus looks amused by her pointless anecdote. As they walk down the corridor, she says, "I think you're going back on what you said earlier, Caitir. Now you're saying you've _got _to be a l_ittle _nervous."

"Weasley!" A voice calls from down the corridor. Rose whips her red head of hair around to find the owner of a voice. Some ten metres ahead, her eyes lock on a certain blonde boy.

"Scorpius Malfoy," she mutters under her breath, voice laced with contempt. Albus laughs at her obvious annoyance.

When Rose has filed off the train, she asks him, "What do you want?"

"Given the sorting ceremony any more thought?" He asks brightly, as a voice calls, 'First-years! This way! O'er 'ere, first years!'

"Why should it matter to you?" Rose replies.

"Only I was thinking," Scorpius says, "That it would be funny if you got into Slytherin. After all that talking with Potter and Finnigan about how keen you are to get into Gryffindor house. I would laugh."

"No you wouldn't," Says Rose curtly. "It'd mean you'd have to share a house with _me._"

"Well, not that it matters," Replies Scorpius. "It's not as though you're going to be accepted into Slytherin anyways, a house that only takes true wizards."

In response, Rose scoffs. "I am a true wizard, Scorpius, as much as you arrogant, narrow mind would like to think otherwise."

"You mother wasn't."

"Why do I even talk to you?" She asks. "All you are is a little-"

Suddenly, there's Albus, tugging Rose away from Malfoy. "Come on, Rosie, he's not worth your time," her cousin tells her firmly.

"I said, _firs' years over here!" _A very tall, large, old man says, holding a lantern up in the air. "Come on, now if you want to take the boats-" He stops to peer at Rose and Albus.

"Say, is that… is that _Albus Potter? _And Rose Weasley?" He asks, squinting and holding the lantern closer to the pair.

"Er… yes, it is… Mr. … Sir…whatever your name is…" Albus says apprehensively. Rose narrows her eyes as she sees Scorpius Malfoy approach her but doesn't want to cause a fight in front of a teacher, not before she's even reached the castle.

"Well, I'm Hagrid, ain't I?" The man asks, pulling Rose and Al in for a –literally – bone-crushing hug. Once the two manage to relieve themselves from Hagrid's grip, Rose notices the man is a little teary-eyed.

"I remember when Harry and Ron and Hermione were jus' first years like yerselves," He smiles nostalgically. But the reminiscence doesn't stop there. "And yer Uncle Fred, Rose... you never got to meet him, but… well, I remember the adventures your parents would go on and-"

"With all due respect, Mr. Hagrid, I think we're a little cold," Albus remarks timidly, shivering in the evening air. "Mum and Dad say we take boats to get to the castle, and-"

"Right ye are," Hagrid says, shaking his head. "Firs' years, follow me teh the canoes! This way, firs' years! We're takin' the boats to the castle, come on, this way!"

"So is this how it's going to be?" Scorpius Malfoy asks curiously, tagging along behind Rose. "Are you and Albus going to be looked at in awe by all the teachers and students for the rest of your school career?" He's grinning maliciously – Rose can tell this, even in the dark – and it makes her want to explode.

"Is this a pattern?" She asks coolly, though her ears are going red. "Are you just going to follow me around, making jabs at me, my family, and my parents, until I burst? Because I believe I'm starting to notice a pattern. I really do."

Scorpius gives a laugh, but he clearly doesn't know how to respond to that. (Luckily for him,) He's saved from having to say anything when Caitir intervenes.

"I'm not going to put up with arguing between you two," she says, "And as Albus and I can see that you two getting along isn't ever going to happen, I've decided to make sure you stay apart. Come on, Rose."

The two walk ahead to a boat, where Albus already stands. "Four to a canoe, now," Hagrid instructs. "No more, no less."

"If Scorpius comes into our boat with the sole purpose of irritating me I'm going to kill him," says Rose in a deadly voice.

"Why did he choose you to pick on?" Albus asks curiously. "Honestly, I mean, out of all the half-blood first-years to pick from, he goes for you, the one who won't put up with any harassment. I'm only saying, it seems a rather stupid decision on his part. I'm kind of nervous you'll tear his head off."

"I guess he's just not very smart," says Rose airily, turning her head towards a commotion coming from the boat next to her.

"I said, four to a boat!" Exclaims Hagrid, looking very annoyed at a certain blonde boy sitting with his friends.

"But the only other option is to sit with _them_ -"Scorpius nods disapprovingly towards Rose, Caitir and Albus – "And there's no way I'm going to do _that." _

"Malfoy," says Hagrid menacingly, "I never did care for yeh dad much, but I promised I'd be open-minded for yeh. But then, I'm a teacher, and yeh're a student. So I'd watch yer tongue."

Pouting, Scorpius clambers out of his canoe and into Rose's. She gives a melodramatic sigh, praying with every fiber of her being that Scorpius will fall into the lake on the way over. That, she thinks, would make her very happy.

"Joy," she says dully. "It's you again." Albus stifles a laugh.

"Because Rose is so funny, right, Potter?" Scorpius asks moodily as the canoes begin to move on their own. Hagrid, who has a boat of his own, leads the group.

"Funnier than you, at least."

"Oh, shut up, Potter," he sighs. "I'm not going to take insults from you."

"You're pathetic at coming up with responses to anything," Rose remarks.

"If this whole boat ride is nothing but you three arguing, I'm going to jump into the lake and _swim _to the castle," declares Caitir, "So I suggest you stop now, because I really don't want to have to do that."

"Who're your parents?" Scorpius asks curiously. Rose thinks she hears something else in his voice. She thinks what he's really saying is, "What's your blood status?"

"What's it to you?" Demands Rose.

"As far as I know, I was asking Finnigan, not you," says Scorpius coolly, "And there's no need for you to get upset. I was only curious. Our parents might have been in the same year."

"Me dad is Seamus Finnigan. Me mam is Lavender Finnigan. She _was _Lavender Brown. But your father wouldn't have associated with them because me dad's a half-blood. And they're _Gryffindors." _

"You're right," He replies. "Never mentioned either of them."

Most of the ride is spent with a stony silence from Rose and Scorpius, sending spiteful glances at one another, while Caitir and Al chatter non-stop. Rose doesn't think it fair that Al has already made a best friend out of Caitir while she's made an enemy out of Scorpius.

"Rose," says, Caitir, tapping her friend's shoulder, "Wake up! I said look, the school's ahead."

Momentarily forgetting all her anger, Rose looks up in awe. Above the group of first-years looms a huge castle with countless towers, bridges, turrets and brightly-light windows. Everyone, including Scorpius, who's supposed to be above everything, looks amazed. "Wow," Rose says. "Wow."

"I think 'wow' sums it up pretty well," Al agrees cheerfully.

"Wow," She says for a third time.

"You're rather simple-minded, aren't you?" Scorpius asks, genuine curiosity in his voice. "It's just a building, Weasley."

"Yes," Rose says dramatically, "Because you're so above everything, aren't you, Scorpius?"

"I'm above you, at least," he replies cockily. Rose feels like she's a time bomb, and each word that comes out of Scorpius's mouth brings her one minute closer to exploding.

"Ha!" She replies, voice steady. "In what way? Please do explain."

"Oh, look," Caitir says suddenly through gritted teeth. "Time to get off the boats now." Rose looks up to see that they are, indeed, drawing towards a cave with long willowy branches that tickle their faces as the canoes float up onto a small, secluded beach. Up the sandy path some twenty feet is a huge double-door.

"Thank God," Rose and Scorpius say in perfect unison. They then proceed to glare at each other for a solid ten seconds.

Albus seems to find this all very amusing, and stifles laughs as the first-years walk up to the castle. Caitir's determined to make sure she doesn't have to witness another argument between the two. Rose is determined to put Scorpius Malfoy in his place before the day is done.

_Well, _she thinks, _he'll get sorted into a different house than me, so it doesn't matter anyways. I'll only see him for lessons. And he'll have is own friends. _

Hagrid knocks on the door and within seconds, it is opened by a stern-looking woman in purple robes. "Thank you, Hagrid," She says. "You can go to the feast, I'll take them from here." The first years, all glancing at each other apprehensively, make their timid way into the castle. Rose, curious to see Scorpius's reaction to the building, whips her head around, only to find that he's gone over to his friends.

_Well, I wouldn't have expected him to stay here tormenting me, _she thinks. Still, it would have been nice to see something other than arrogance etched on that pale little face of his.

After everyone has crowded into the hall, the teacher proceeds to explain the rules of the sorting and the school. "The house you are sorted into will be like your family while you are at Hogwarts. Good behavior will win you house points, while the opposite will lose you points. The house with the most points at the end of the year will win the house cup," she explains. Rose zones out for a few moments. "You will put on the sorting hat and it will tell you which house you are best suited to: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin."

The lecture continues and anticipation rises in Rose's stomach. _Get on with it, _she thinks impatiently, bouncing up and down on her heels. "I'll leave the room for a few minutes," the professor concludes, "And let you smarten up a bit while I get the sorting hat."

The first-years shift around nervously until the professor returns to take them into the Great Hall. Rose can't help looking in awe at the decorations. The entrance hall alone is probably the size of Godric's Hollow. She can tell Albus is uneasy too, from the way his eyes dart from Caitir, to her, to toher students, back to her. She can't help squeezing his hand for comfort. "You look like a scared animal," Rose informs him. "Calm down, Al."

"Thanks for being so helpful," he mutters, giving an eye roll. "Besides, you were all nerves a few minutes ago."

"Was not," she shoots back as the first years trail into the hall. Everybody turns around to look at them and Rose feels as if she's in a spotlight. There are too many people staring at her and she wants to hide behind Caitir (the girl _is _pretty tall), but reckons that it might make them stare even more.

The first-years line up at the front of the hall, peering around in wonder. The four long tables seem to stretch on forever. The ceiling is enchanted to look like the night sky and candles hover above the tables. The crowd in front of them is a sea of pointed black hats. Everything is so _great (_which is probably why it's called a great hall, she thinks).

Rose stares at the plain black hat sitting on the stool in front of her and the fellow first years. The professor told them about it, but it still seems odd that this talking hat is going to dictate her future years at Hogwarts, possibly her path in life.

"D'you reckon we can find Dominique in the crowd?" Rose asks, craning her neck around to search for her favourite cousin. "Or Molly or Fred or Roxanne or-"

"I dunno," Albus cuts her off. "I'm sure we'll be able to see them in a minute. They were probably sitting with James on the train, otherwise we would've seen them."

"Why didn't we look for them?"

Albus shushes her. After a few introductory words from the Headmistress, an extremely old and stern-looking woman, the first student is called up to be sorted; Eloise Bishop is sorted into Hufflepuff. There are claps and cheers from the table second from the right and the girl runs over, cheeks flushed with excitement. The procedure continues. Daniel Creevy is the first Gryffindor.

Eventually Caitir is called up to be sorted and Rose is bouncing on her toes, like she always does. Albus gently presses a hand to her shoulder, motioning for her to stop. She shoots him a glare.

Rose can't see Caitir, but she can feel the girl's excitement radiating off her when she's sorted into Gryffindor.

"Fawcett, Thomas!"

Thomas Fawcett sits with the hat on his head until it yells, "Ravenclaw!"

Eventually, Scorpius is called up. "Three guesses on which house _he _goes to," Rose mutters.

Scorpius sits with the hat on his head for a long time. A very long time.

"What's taking it so long?" Demands Albus in a hushed voice. Rose shrugs.

"_Gryffindor!" _

Gryffindor?

_Gryffindor? _Scorpius Malfoy was just sorted into _Gryffindor? _Did she mishear the hat?

Apparently Malfoy thinks he misheard the hat too, because he doesn't take it off, until the teacher who had led them into the school says pointedly, "Next!"

Rose is barely even paying attention when Albus got sorted into Gryffindor house. She's just thinking about how Scorpius got sorted into Slytherin's rival house and how everyone makes such a _huge _deal about the sorting.

"Weasley, Rose!"

Stomach jittery with nerves, she sits on the small three-legged stool provided and pulls the large black hat onto her head.

"So, a Weasley," A voice mutters into her ear, making her jump.

_Yes, _she thinks.

"Well, I know exactly which house _you _want to be put in… but what about Ravenclaw? You've got the brains."

_No, _she replies firmly. _It's got to be Gryffindor. _

"Well…" the hat replies slowly, "Well, I must say that I fully agree."

_Really? That was easy. _

The sorting hat doesn't reply to her, but instead yells to the whole great hall, "Gryffindor!"

It takes all Rose has not to give a shout of happiness. Instead, she sets the hat down carefully and (tries to) calmly walk over to the Gryffindor table. She seats herself on a bench with Roxanne, Fred, Victoire, James, and Albus. Sitting with them is Caitir, a girl named Alice Wood and a boy who introduces himself as Marvin Thomas. To everyone's delight, the gold plates fill up with food in front of their eyes and the student body is told to 'dig in!'. Rose is content to stuff her face with food and talk animatedly to her cousins until she notices Scorpius sitting alone, picking at mashed potatoes.

She slides her plate over to him, although she isn't sure why. "Not so sure of yourself now, are you, Scorpius?" Rose asks cheerfully.

"Go on, then, Weasley," he says with a dull laugh. "Make fun of me. But _you're _the one who's going to have to put up with having me in your house."

"Who says I was going to make fun of you?" She asks defiantly, feeling a fleeting stab of guilt.

"Well, when you start a conversation with 'Not feeling so sure of yourself now, are you, Scorpius'-"

"Okay, I'm sorry," she mumbles. "I was going to say that you might want to make some _friends _while you're at it. You're going to be a part of this house for the next seven years. I'm not sure why exactly, but you are, and there's no changing it now."

"Thanks a lot for that, Weasley," he says sullenly, but when he glances up at her, she swears she can see a trace of a smile on his lips.

"Yeah, well," she says. "I'm not hinting you should become friends with _me-" _

"-As if," He scoffs, cutting her off.

Rose rolls her eyes. "See you," she says, before they can start fighting again, still pondering the fact that Scorpius Malfoy is in her same house.

Which means she's going to have to make some sort of effort to get along with him. Merlin forbid.


	3. Year 1: II

**Word count this chapter: **4,730 (I'm sorry for the length...)  
**A/N: **Well, this took nearly ten days, so yeah... you can expect about ten day intervals between updates. I just can't get them out faster than that... I have finals and piano exams and dance shows coming up and everything, June really is the busiest month of the year. Bear with me guys, please do. **By the way: **Professor Flitwick in this chapter is **not **the canon guy. He's the NextGen guy I made up in my head. Just so you know. Also, I'm sorry if this isn't as detailed as you'd like. Since you know what Hogwarts life is like, I feel it more important to focus on the Scorrose relationship. I'm going to spend more time on other characters in the next few chapters. Like for example, my fanon character Amity Nott was barely mentioned. Sorry.

**Please review! Thanks for 8 reviews last chapter, you guys are the best readers. I love you all.**

* * *

It's Friday before Rose, Albus, Caitir, Alice Wood, Marvin Thomas, and (to Rose's dismay) Scorpius Malfoy get down to the great hall to breakfast without getting lost once. Rose finds the twists and turns of the castle highly amusing, but Albus hates having to get past Peeves the Poltergeist, doors that are really just walls pretending, and staircases that move. Although, admittedly, it was only with the help of Alice Wood that they managed to get down to breakfast on time - all week long, Rose, Albus and Caitir have been late.

Rose's morning is brightened by the post. She receives a letter from home, plus one from Grandma and Granddad Weasley. Not only that, but Scorpius gets a letter from his father that makes her considerably happier, too.

He snorts with disgust, looking down at the parchment.

"What've you got?" She asks happily, trying to read his letter from upside-down.

"Wouldn't you like to know, Weasley?"

"Yeah, I would, that's why I'm asking," she says, irritated by his lack of common sense.

"I don't like you, so why should I have to tell you?"

This stumps Rose for a minute because she doesn't have an answer to that question herself. Scorpius Malfoy confuses her. He was so arrogant the first night, and then humbled so greatly by being put in the exact house he dreaded. He earned Rose's hate almost immediately but then she tried to give him friendly advice – to make friends in the Gryffindor house. Consequently, he's taken to spending most of his time with her, Albus, Caitir and Marvin Thomas. But then, he spends free time with friends from Slytherin house, the Nott twins. As a matter of fact, Rose has got to thank Scorpius for introducing her to Amity Nott. Though cunning and sometimes a little rude, she's rather nice for one of those Slytherins her family has always warned he about. And then there's Piper Longbottom and the Scamander twins, kids in her year she knew from before Hogwarts.

Rose has friends in four different houses, and it's only been one week, which confuses her a great deal more than she thought it would. From her cousins' and parent's stories about Hogwarts, she always assumed that she would only converse with people in her house. And she thought she knew for _sure _that she would detest every Slytherin she lay eyes on.

"You should tell me because…" she says, "Er… I want to know."

"That's a terrible reason."

"We're friends," Rose reasons, although it causes her a great deal of pain to say so.

"No, we're not!" He scoffs. "You've hated me since-"

"Give it up, guys," sighs Caitir, glancing up from her letter.

"How about this?" Suggests Rose. "We're 'frenemies'."

"What's that? It sounds like-" he starts, but Rose interrupts.

"It's a muggle word," she explains. "It means we're friends, but we don't like each other."

"I think if you took out the –_fr _bit of the word, you'd have our relationship summed up," Scorpius says, glancing back at his letter. "I'm not so sure about the friends bit."

Alice Wood gives a laugh. "There's some truth to that, Rose."

"Are you going to tell me what your letter says or not?" She asks, exasperated.

"Fine, but I don't know why you're so eager," Scorpius says with an eye roll. Rose dons a smug look.

"Er-" he clears his throat – "my dad says he's disappointed that I couldn't get into Slytherin, like a true pure-blood wizard. That's all, really. He says I shouldn't mingle with muggle-borns, because that's degrading my status but-"

"I really don't like your dad," declares Rose.

"Neither did your parents. Runs in the family, I suppose?" He counters.

Rose glares. Scorpius has stumped her for the second time this morning. So instead of thinking up an answer, she says, "Al, let's go to class."

He looks up with a mouthful of toast. "Rosie, we're going to be early-"

Glaring with contempt at Scorpius, Rose sighs, "Just _come _on."

Caitir follows Rose and Al to class.

"I don't know why you put up with Malfoy," she says, shaking her head with disgust. "You should just ignore him, mate."

Rose purses her lips, frowning. "I dunno. He's in our house, that's got to count for something! He-"

"Just forget about Scorpius like she said," says Albus. "He likes making you upset, he's annoying, and he's arrogant. We can co-exist with him because we're in the same house. But we haven't got to worry about that bloke so much. He's only a person."

"Hm," Rose replies. "Well, easy for you to say. You lot haven't got him making it his mission to irritate you."

"To be fair, you've made it your mission to irritate him, too," Caitir remarks.

"Yeah, well…well, whatever," Mutters Rose as Hufflepuffs trail into the first-year classroom. "I'll just forget about him, I s'pose. Or try to."

Albus notices Piper Longbottom among the Hufflepuff students and pulls Rose and Caitir over to her. Rose has always suspected Albus was sort of keen on Piper growing up – plenty of boys would like her, with her nice temperament and cute face – but she thinks he might be developing a small crush on Caitir already. The two are inseparable after knowing each other for less than a week; Rose even feels a little jealous.

"Rose!" Piper beams, giving her a tight hug, and Caitir an awkward wave.

"How was your summer?" Rose asks eagerly.

"Oh, it was fine. We spent it at the house," Piper smiles. "But dad reckons we might save up a bit and go to France when I'm in fourth year."

Before the conversation turns to money – something Piper, who lives with only her father – hasn't ever really had enough of, Albus hastily switches it.

"Piper, you haven't met Caitir Finnigan, I don't reckon?"

"No," she replies brightly, turning her gaze to Caitir. "I don't think so?"

The tall girl shakes her head. "Nah. I've lived in Ireland 'till now but all the Irish wizards go to Hogwarts. So unless you've lived in Irela-"

"I haven't," replies Piper quickly, glancing at a group of Hufflepuffs who have just entered the class. "Er – I've got to go – nice to meet you, Kate!" With that, she hurries across the room.

"It's _Caitir," _Caitir mumbles, giving Piper a harsh look.

The bell rings and minutes later, Marvin Thomas, Alice Wood and Scorpius hurry into class. "Got lost," Alice apologises. "Sorry."

"No worries," Professor Flitwick, a very tall man, says, motioning for the students to sit down. Rose can't help grinning with anticipation; she loves Charms already and can't help noticing that she excels at it. She was able to make her feather float the other day – on her third try – and she's mastered one or two beginning charms on her own, out of class time.

"So, Weasley," Scorpius mutters under his breath, "Ready to show off again?"

"Go away," she replies huffily as Professor Flitwick takes attendance.

"Well, someone's not in a very good mood."

"It's not that I'm not in a good mood. It's just that I've learned really quickly that you and I are bound to get in a fight as soon as we start talking. And since I, like a _normal _person, don't like getting in arguments, I find it's best to avoid the people who I argue with. That, Malfoy, is why I want to avoid you," she finishes grandly.

Completely disregarding everything Rose said before, Scorpius replies, "Why do you call me Malfoy? No one else does."

"Firstly, Albus does too, secondly, you call me Weasley, and thirdly, why don't you like it? It's your name."

"I prefer Scorpius. The meaning of 'Malfoy' has something to do with bad fate. Plus, it sounds weird."

"Scorpius also sounds weird," replies Rose in a contempt voice. "What about Scorp?"

"Yeah, whatever, Weasley," he says. "I'm sure my opinion won't make a difference anyway."

"No," she replies. "I'm glad you caught on. It won't."

"I _said, _Weasley, Malfoy, _listen up!" _Professor Flitwick interjects loudly. Rose's head snaps up. "Please kindly turn to page 13 in your textbooks, where we are practicing the spell _Lumos. _And pay attention in the future!" A rosy colour creeps onto Rose's cheeks as the professor adds, "Five points from Gryffindor."

Turning to page 13, Rose scowls at Scorpius for distracting her from the lesson.

He's grinning.

* * *

**October**

It's been easy for Rose and her friends to settle into life at Hogwarts. She's easily found a passion for Charms, while Albus is a whiz with potions, Marvin Thomas excels at flying lessons, and Caitir can transform anything. Rose can't help noticing, though, that Scorpius is having trouble finding his place in Gryffindor house. He's always spending his free time with the Slytherins (although admittedly, Rose spends her fair share of time with Amity Nott, so it isn't as though this behaviour is strange). Scorpius doesn't show any sort of commitment or pride in his house and he frowns every time he receives a letter from home. Rose suspects they're more from his 'disappointed' father, and even though it brightens her day to see a scowl in place of his usually cocky smile, she can't help but resent Draco Malfoy.

And then there's the whole ordeal of arguing with him every day; it's like a cycle that neither of them will ever escape. Rose can't figure out why _he, _of all people, was sorted into Gryffindor.

But, figuring she's tired the subject enough already, Rose bends over her Transfiguration homework and stares blankly at the textbook.

"The foundations of Transfiguration  
_1: What are two elements to take into consideration when attempting to transform and object?"_

Furrowing her eyebrows, Rose mutters to herself, "Oh, I don't know!" Her mind drifts back to the train station, when dad said to her, 'Thank God you inherited your mother's brains.'

_Use mum's brains, Rosie, _she thinks, trying to concentrate.

"Weasley!"

Looking up, Rose sighs, "Oh, not you!"

"I heard that," Scorpius says, sounding hurt and sitting down beside the fire with her.

"It was meant for you to hear," she murmurs indifferently, doodling in the corner of the page. "Why're you here, anyway? If not to _annoy _me? Because I really don't have the time for a conversation with you-"

"Don't flatter yourself," Scorpius scoffs. "I only wanted your answers for the Transfiguration homework because I haven't done it."

"Yes, well, fat chance, because I'm not done myself. Why don't you do your own work? You know, it isn't that hard," she remarks.

"I don't have to do my work because I know you'll always be there for me, Weasley," he says immediately.

It's Rose's turn to scoff now. "Oh, funny joke, Scorp. Really witty. Do it yourself."

"How 'bout we help each other?" Proposes Scorpius hopefully.

"You and me, helping each other with something? I think the apocalypse is here," Says Rose dramatically. "But really, can you see us getting along for more than three minutes at a time? Just honestly think to yourself. We'd burn down the castle before we even finished the homework-"

"Rosie!" She looks up to see James and Fred. They're grinning, but not innocently.

"What've you done?" She asks warily, knowing that these two cousins, plus Uncle George, are the pranksters of the family.

"Nothing!" Fred says, pretending to be hurt. "We only were going to ask if you fancied a game of Exploding Snap. Albus is somewhere or other and it's kind of difficult to play with Dominique when she's in Ravenclaw house and then Roxanne is doing-"

"I get the point. Won't Victoire play with you? I'm busy," Rose replies.

"Aw, doing ickle first-year homework?" Asks James, beaming. "No, Molly would be up for a game, too, but she's not in this house, obviously…that just leaves you, really."

"Well," she says firmly, "I'm _busy."_

"Oh, come on! Don't be a spoilsport, Rosie," Whines Fred.

"Yeah. Do you wanna be like Lucy? All uptight all the time?"

"Lucy's not uptight, she's _seven," _Frowns Rose. "Don't be daft."

"She is," Fred shakes his head disapprovingly. "She'll turn out just like her father."

"I said to go away. _I'm. Doing. Homework," _says Rose clearly.

Looking defeated, Fred says, "It's just you and me, then, Jamie."

"Looks like it, Freddie."

The two boys walk away. "Are they always that persistent?" Asks Scorpius.

"They're almost as annoying as you," she says, "Almost."

* * *

**November **

"Rose! Hey, Rose!" A voice echoes from the dungeons and Rose stops, textbook and cauldron weighing her down. Her stomach growls, begging for lunch. The face of Lysander Scamander comes into view and he's panting, like he's just run up the flight of stairs.

"Er- hi, Lysander. Why-"

"You forgot your wand." He produces the 'springy' willow wand from his pocket that Rose recognises on sight.

"I wouldn't want to lose that," She grins gratefully. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Rosie," replies Lysander, and the two begin to walk. "So… erm, have you been enjoying school? I know we haven't talked as much since term began…"

"Oh, it's been lovely, yeah," she says. "Made lots of friends and everything. I'm not so keen on Scorpius Malfoy though."

Lysander gives and awkward laugh and after a moment of uncomfortable silence, he says, "You're friends with Caitir Finnigan, aren't you?"

"Yeah," answers Rose, confused by the random subject change. "Why'd you want to know?"

"Only, I wondered, uh, whether or not she fancied anyone," says Lysander, blushing.

"_Fancied _anyone?" Rose crinkles her nose. "You're not keen on her, are you? Come on, Lys, we're eleven. And you barely talk with her as it is."

"Just because I'm eleven doesn't mean I'm not allowed to have a crush," says Lysander defiantly, looking more embarrassed by the second.

"Well, I don't think-"

"You must have someone you like a little, don't you?" He asks, interrupting.

"No," she replies, amused. "No one."

* * *

**Christmas Holidays**

It isn't until Rose smells her mother's muggle perfume that she realises how much she's missed home. Her dad grins and nearly lifts her off the ground when they meet at the train station and Hugo tugs at her sweater, demanding to know all about Hogwarts. Teddy's there with Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. In fact, most of the family is there, except Uncle Percy and Aunt Audrey, along with Molly and Lucy, who made an early escape to avoid traffic. Uncle Percy always was sensible.

Rose hugs Teddy tightly and looks up at him, eyes shining with excitement. "Hogwarts was everything you said it would be, Ted! It was everything and more!" He just grins and ruffles her hair.

Louis, Lily and Hugo pester the older kids for details about the school, details that Rose is happy to finally be able to give away.

The snow is piled up by the time they reach Grandma and Granddad Weasley's house. Rose is bouncing up and down in her seat, fit to burst. Even though mum and dad already know everything about Hogwarts they humour her by listening to everything she has to tell them. Hugo clings onto each word, looking envious.

The Burrow, Grandma and Granddad Weasley's house, is tall and crooked. In fact, Rose reckons the only reason it stays up is because of her grandparent's magic. It seems to grow a bit every time a new cousin is born; but there isn't ever enough room for anyone anyways. It's cosy, to say the least.

Though there's a thick layer of snow at the Burrow, Rose and most of her cousins are insistent on playing Quidditch. Their parents force them into layers of clothes and they go out to the Weasley paddock on old, crappy brooms, tossing apples back and forth and talking animatedly about how they'll be Quidditch stars one day. ("I want to be a Seeker next year for the team," Albus always grins proudly. "Dad says him and Granddad James were both Gryffindor Seekers. I'll keep up the tradition, me.")

Inside there's constant music playing from the wireless and a fire is always lit. Eggnog is passed around whenever there aren't meals. Rose plays Gobstones with Lucy, Louis, Lily and Hugo, Wizard's Chess with Dominique or Roxanne (though she loses every time), Exploding Snap with Fred, James, Teddy or Albus, and gossips with Victoire. Sometimes, Vicky even does her hair and gives her 'boy' advice, even though she claims, like she told Lysander, that there's no one she fancies.

When they're together, Vicky and Teddy are always holding hands. One time at dinner, Rose knocks her fork under the table on purpose and when she goes to get it, she sees their fingers are still brushing against each other delicately, even as they eat. It makes her smile, the thought that if they married Teddy would properly become part of the Weasley family.

Come Christmas day, Rose wakes up in the bedroom she shares with every other female cousin she has, aside from Victoire who gets her own room because 'she's grown-up now'. Lucy, Lily, Louis and Hugo are up hours before everyone else and when Rose goes downstairs, she sees the four children staring in awe at the brightly lit Christmas tree.

Rose's Christmas gifts include a variety of sweets, books, rare Chocolate Frog cards, and, from Grandma Weasley, the classic hand-knit sweater with fudge. Her aunts and uncles say she's been doing it since they were kids – Rose reckons that's more knitting than she could ever stand, but she appreciates the sweater all the same. But from her parents, she receives and _owl. _A lovely Barn Owl that hoots and nips her finger affectionately. She can't think why, but Uncle Harry strongly advises the name Hedwig. When she asks him about it, he only grins nostalgically.

Through the moments spent with Albus and the rest of her family, burning through her stash of sweets and cracking jokes, Rose forgets about everything else. Even a certain blonde haired boy whose mean, idiotic, and, above all, annoying comments make her want to tear her hair out.

* * *

**February **

"The fact that you were away for Christmas Holidays is not an excuse to forget all the lessons I have taught you!" Exclaims Professor Callista sternly in Transfiguration one day. "You've been back for over a month now, and I would expect all of you students to _keep up with the standards set by this school. _If it were up to me, we wouldn't even _have _Christmas Holidays-"

"She's mental, that one," Breathes Scorpius. "No Christmas Holidays, can you imagine?"

"Shush!" Hisses Rose. "Remember what happened last time we talked in class?"

"Oh, you're _such _a toffee-nose," He replies with great contempt.

"And you're _such _a prat. Do you ever stop being annoying?"

"No, I obviously do it on purpose, just because you're around-"

"Malfoy! Weasley! I say, _stop _talking in class. While I give a lecture about respect for your teachers and lessons, you talk over me. How many times do I have to tell you, Gryffindor house?"

"Nice going," Snickers Albus.

Rose turns to the boy beside her. "I told you so, Scorpion."

"Because you know everything, don't you, Weasel..."

* * *

**May **

The months slide past and suddenly, the need to wear thick earmuffs or cast water-repellent charms when going outside is abolished.

"I can't believe it," Caitir shakes her head while walking to Potions. "First year _flew _by! And just think, this time next May, we won't be the babies of the school anymore!"

"Yeah," Rose mumbles. "I'm a bit preoccupied with exams, though. I haven't ever done this sort of thing before."

"When I went to my Muggle school, you know, before Hogwarts, we had end of year exams," Says Caitir. "Didn't you do that sort of thing?"

"No. Never," she says. "I'm going to fail _everything._"

"You are _not_!" Exclaim Alice and Marvin in unison. "You're practically top of the class!" Caitir whips her head around.

"Was that planned? The way you two just – said that, at the exact same-"

Alice giggles, looking sideways at Marvin. "No."

"You have plenty of time to study, anyways," Marvin says. "Exams aren't till June!"

"June is coming fast," Rose counters. "I don't know what I'll do if I don't pass."

"You're a worry-wart," sighs Caitir. "I've been saying it since the beginning of the year when you were fretting about the Sorting."

"Settle down, class, settle down!" The Potions Master, Professor Jordan, says loudly. "I know you're all eagerly anticipating the end of the year, but we have work ahead of us! Today, we will be recreating a cure for boils. A simple paramedic skill, but one you will need for the rest of your life!"

"Yeah, because boils are so common," Interrupts Scorpius loudly.

"Two points from Gryffindor. No cheek in this class," Professor Jordan says calmly. Several angry glances are shot Scorpius's way – including a glare from Rose – and many laughs bubble up from the mouths of the Hufflepuffs.

"Where was I… ah, yes. You have an hour. Ingredients are in the store cupboard, instructions are on page forty-three." After a pause, he adds, "Well, get to work! I expect a sample flask to mark at the end of class."

Although she's never been good at Potions, Rose tries her best, reducing her porcupine quills to a fine powder and stirring clockwise and then counter-clockwise exactly ten times. Still, her solution turns up brown, instead of reddish purple like Professor Jordan indicates it should be.

"Oh, damn it all," she says angrily, putting her face in her hands. "I'm never going to do this right."

Patiently, Albus shows her where she went wrong (the potion is now beginning to curdle in her cauldron), and he slips a flask of his near-perfect concoction into her hand. She grins gratefully; now she won't fail this particular assignment. Scorpius sees the exchange and remarks, "Who are you and what have you done with Rose? The goody-two-shoes I know would never do such a thing."

Rose sticks her tongue out and Professor Jordan catches her. "Two more points from Gryffindor."

* * *

After the lesson, Rose tells Albus, "I'm just going to get my Transfiguration book, I left it in class." She expects to walk up to the Transfiguration Corridor alone, but there are pounding footsteps behind her, and she turns around to see a certain Scorpius Malfoy.

"Scorpion! What are you doing here?" Demands Rose, curious.

He looks both desperate and conflicted. "See- the thing is, I, er, I'm worried about my final exams."

Rose shifts her books in her arms, wondering why he followed her all the way here just to say this. "…Most of us are. Your point is?"

"Well, you're top of our class. And, I was thinking that you could help me prepare. I know we don't get along, but- well, I need the help. I can't imagine what my parents would say if I failed _first year." _

Despite herself, Rose can't help pitying Scorpius. He looks so… helpless that she feels an urge to say yes, of course she'll help him. But an idea suddenly forms and a smile dawns on her face. "But Scorpius, if you didn't pass first year, you'd have to take it again… which would mean we would barely see each other! It's perfect!"

He glares. "Come on, Rose. You've got to help me. Maybe we could agree to a temporary-"

"Scorpion, do you recall there being a door right there?" She asks suddenly, distracted.

"What?" He asks. "What does that have to do with me asking for exam help?"

"Nothing," Rose murmurs. "Only I could have sworn there was never a door there before-"

All of a sudden, the said door bursts open and two seventh years – a boy and girl – sprint out, cursing loudly. They're followed by a swarm of tiny flying green things that pull at their hair and bite their skin.

"_Shit!" _The seventh-years yell, oblivious to Rose and Scorpius as they sprint away from the angry creatures who, losing their targets, turn towards the young Gryffindors.

"This won't be good," Rose says as the pack descends upon them.

"What do we do!?" Yells Scorpius, brandishing his wand around uselessly.

"Don't ask me!" She replies loudly, internally cursing the students who got them into this mess.

"You're the smart one, surely you have something!"

The creatures are pulling at Rose's hair now, and, not biting, but _pinching _her all over the exposed skin on her hands, face and neck. One even flies down her robes. "Just hold on!"

Extracting her wand from the depths of her large book-bag, Rose yells, "_Petrificus Totalus!" _And, just like that, the tiny beasts fall to the ground, paralysed. The corridor goes dead silent.

"Bloody hell," mutters Scorpius, brushing the little green _things _out of his hair and shaking his head vigorously.

"I'm glad Professor Flitwick taught us _that _spell," says Rose, immensely relieved that she managed to fend off the creatures. She bends down and picks one up. "These are Wrasse Pixies," she says decidedly. "You can tell because they're green. They're a type of Cornish Pixies. Little buggers."

"How do you know?"

"I read, unlike you."

The two stand up, look at each other for a moment, and then burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"They just-" Scorpius wheezes, clutching his chest- "They just flew out of there after those- before you-"

"-I wouldn't go in that room if you paid me-"

"-And one even flew down my shirt-"

"-Look at all of them, just lying there on the ground!" Exclaims Rose. After a moment, she adds, "I suppose we could agree to a truce, just until the exam period is over."

As they walk down the hall, the two burst out laughing once more, though neither of them really know why.

* * *

**June **

"No, you imbecile, Goblin Wars started _A.D. _1500! Goblins weren't even fully evolved until A.D 300!"

"-But I thought you said-"

"You thought wrong," Snaps Rose, the heat of the room suffocating her. She wants nothing more than to go outside with a cold glass of pumpkin juice and read a good book, maybe with Caitir or Al. She wants nothing _less _than to be in this stuffy common room, studying with Scorpius.

"You're terrible to study with," Scorpius informs her angrily.

"Yes, well, same goes for you!"

"Look, I'm sorry that everyone can't be as perfect as _you, _Weasel-"

"-Don't you dare call me Weasel-"

"Yeah, well, you call me Scorpion, there's no difference really-"

"Stop it!" She exclaims, far too loudly. James looks up from his Chess match against Al with a grin.

"Is little Rosie-kins upset?" He snorts, looking amused.

Rose ignores him. "OK. OK, sorry, Scorp. I exploded. Maybe it's the heat-"

"-Or maybe it's just your _lovely _personality-"

"But I said I'd help you. So I will." She picks up her quill and ink, breathes deeply, and then exhales equally loudly. "Let's try again. I won't be a jerk about it this time."

"Try your best," he mutters, "I don't have much faith in you."

* * *

"Rose! Rose, I passed! I _did _it!"

She can't help grinning at Scorpius's excited face. "Well of course you passed, did you really think you wouldn't?"

"I really thought I wouldn't, for a little while. You know me," he says. "But you helped me! You're the best, Weasel."

"I'm the best? Do my ears deceive me?" She asks, swelling with pride.

"Well, I mean, you're annoying and I can't stand you. But still, you're the best!" Scorpius says again, beaming.

"Well. I'm flattered. It's funny to think that we started the year on such bad terms, and here we are now, talking like civil people," Laughs Rose, feeling happier than ever. First her better-than-good report card (except for Potions), and now the discovery that she's helped Scorpius succeed as well. "I never thought I'd say those words."

He scoffs. "It's not as if you're nice or anything," he clarifies. "You're just dead smart, that's all."

Rose shakes her head. "Of course."

But she can't help thinking that what he said isn't completely true; maybe, just maybe, the two are on the path to a more friendly relationship.

_Maybe _is certainly a key word.


	4. Summertime

**Word Count This Chapter: **2,503  
**A/N: **So I'm sorry, this is actually such a filler chapter; I was going to make it summer till Christmas, but that was going to take so long and I wanted you guys to know I hadn't abandoned you. Anyways, my finals are more or less complete and school lets out on Friday the 14th so I may update weekly in the summer. Just so y'all know. I think that's it! Please review, I got 8 in ch.2 but only 3 or 4 in ch.3, so if I'm doing anything wrong I'd love to know... OK thanks!  
~Audrey

* * *

**Summertime **

"Rose, this time next year _I'm _going to be going to Hogwarts," Hugo beams.

"I already knew that, thanks," Replies Rose over a plate of eggs. "But yeah, I reckon you're right."

"It's a good thing that you're the first born, Rose. You'd have a lot to live up to if you were coming to Hogwarts in _my _footsteps," Hugo grins, pointing his fork at himself. "Consider yourself lucky."

"Someone's going to be in for a rude awakening when they reach Hogwarts," Mumbles Rose, arching an eyebrow. You're _just _like James and Fred, only more annoying and less funny."

"No need for sarcasm, Rose," Mum reprimands, drinking some sort of muggle drink called coffee that Rose finds too bitter.

Dad scoffs. "As if you weren't the most sarcastic person I ever-"

"_Ron." _

Rose's Dad shuts up.

"And, speaking of James, the Potters are coming tonight," Mum informs the lot. "They sent us an owl. You two don't mind sharing your bedrooms, do you?" She doesn't wait for a response before continuing, "Good. We've only got one spare room."

"Why are they coming?" Asks Hugo eagerly. "Ooh, ooh, do we get to go to Diagon Alley soon?"

Tuning out the conversation, Rose ponders the hard-to-believe fact that she's almost ready to begin her second year. She still remembers sitting on the train with Lysander, the Nott twins, Scorpius, Caitir, Marvin and Albus. Her and The Scorpion had been on such good terms then. She evens remembers Amity Nott's commentary.

"_I don't know if I can believe my eyes. You, Weasley and Malfoy, acting civilised? What is the world coming to?" Her eyes turned teasing as she said to Scorpius, "I can't believe you like Weasley all of a sudden, Scorp."_

"_I don't like Rose, not really," he replied quickly. "She helped me with my exams, so I suppose I had better be nice in return. We agreed to a truce." He then turned to her. "Right, Weasel?"_

"_Absolutely," She beamed. Caitir shook her head. _

"_I always figured you couldn't go on trying to kill each other forever, but really? Acting so chummy already?"_

"_We're not chummy!" Exclaimed Rose, while Scorpius shook his head in horror._

"_Nothing of the sort," he confirmed. _

Still half in her thoughts, Rose mumbles, "Maybe we'll see Scorpius in Diagon Alley. Wonder when he's going."

Hugo drops his fork. "The _Malfoy _bloke? You wrote to me saying you couldn't stand him."

"Yeah!" Dad echoes, "Rose, what d'you mean, you wonder if he'll be there? Why are you so interested in him all of a sudden?"

"Ron, is it honestly so hard to understand?" Asks mum exasperatedly. "She wonders if she'll see Scorpius in Diagon Alley when we go next week." She enunciates each word clearly, as though dad is a toddler. "Perhaps they're friends – or, they would be, if you didn't stop pitting them against each other for something the boy's father did nineteen years ago!"

"He tried to kill you," Dad reminds her, voice laced with barely hidden rage. "Draco Malfoy, he tried to kill you and me and Harry. I'm not going to suddenly go around urging Rose be best friends with his son. He could be a bad influence for all we know."

"He's a _Gryffindor!" _Exclaims mum. "What can you expect from the boy?"

Hugo is glancing back and forth between his parents, extremely amused. Rose can feel tension rising in the air as dad looks from her to mum and back to her. "I only was wondering," she says hastily, "So that I could avoid him if we did end up going on the same day."

Dad looks satisfied and mum a little sad.

Once again, that irritating feeling of confusion sweeps over Rose.

"I'm going. Thanks for breakfast, mum," Rose says quickly before dropping her plate in the sink and bolting up the stairs.

"Ron!" She can hear her mum's reprimanding voice from upstairs. "You made Rose upset, maybe the two are friends. Come on. She's friends with the Nott twins, they're in Slytherin – no, don't say anything – times are changing! You aren't confined to friends in your own house. And no child should be expected to stay away from the children of their parent's enemies."

There's a heavy sigh from both Rose and her dad, in unison. _No, _she wants to protest. _You don't understand. I dislike Scorpius because he's Scorpius, not because you hated his father. _"Hermione, I know you have a point, but-"

"Exactly," came the stern reply. "I have a point. The conversation is over now."

"Or maybe, she's making friends with people outside her house because she's weird!" Exclaims Hugo.

Rose only sighs and begins counting down the hours until Al arrives. She's not sure if she can stand her family's pointless bickering much longer, especially when they talk about her and Scorpius's friendship. Bloody hell, they're not even friends. She's mentioned him _once or twice, _and it was never random.

…Maybe she's mentioned him three times. But no more than that.

* * *

"Rise and shine, sweetheart," A voice echoes through Rose's ears and she groans, batting her hand and trying valiantly to hit whoever has awoken her from her slumber.

"Rose, we're going to Dagon Alley today."

…

"_Rosie!"_

Finally, she opens her eyes to see Albus's beaming face right in front of her. It blurs, and then goes into sharp focus. She groans again. "Go away, Al…"

"Oh, come on, you can't tell me to go away! I've been sent up here to wake you up, everyone else is waiting for you!" He whines, wrenching her covers off her and exposing her bare arms and legs to the unforgivingly cold air.

"Al… you're my favourite cousin and my best friend, but if you don't give my duvet back that'll change very quickly," Rose mumbles, rubbing her eyes.

"Favouritism among families is bad," he chides. "Come along, cousin." With that, he yanks her out of bed by the arm and rummages through her drawers. "Here…" Al beams, tossing her shorts, a shirt, and a sweater.

"Er… thanks, Al. I think," she says.

"My pleasure," Grins Albus, exiting the room. "If you don't come down in five minutes I'll assume you fell back asleep and come up to drag you downstairs."

"Right."

* * *

"There's the sleeping beauty!" Exclaims James, who's holding the clay pot of Floo Powder. "We thought you had died up there!"

"Yes, I'm sure you were very worried," Replies Rose with a small eye roll.

"Next time," Says Hugo, "You may want to set an alarm. You know, if you're planning to get to Diagon Alley before supper."

"I get the point, everyone," Sighs Rose, defeated, eliciting laughs from around the room. "Can we go now?"

"Do you have your book list, Rosie?" Asks mum anxiously. "And your pocket money, in case-"

"I have everything, mum."

"Can we go to Uncle George's shop?" Asks James eagerly, taking his share of Floo Powder. "Please, mum?"

"Once you've got all your things, James," Aunt Ginny says sternly. "Go to the Leaky Cauldron, now, I'll follow."

James steps into the fireplace, yells, "_Diagon Alley!" _And disappears into a cloud of green smoke. Aunt Ginny follows, then Lily, Albus and Uncle Harry.

"Go on then, Rose," Dad says, gesturing towards the pot of Floo Powder. She can't help wincing. Although she's used it before, Rose nurses a strong dislike for Floo Powder; Aunt Ginny says she inherited it from Uncle Harry.

"Diagon Alley!" Rose shouts, throwing her pinch of Floo Powder into the fireplace and grimacing as she's swept into the warm flames. She can't help but be grateful that there was no time for her to eat breakfast; she'd probably throw it all up. The spinning sensation makes her sick but finally she falls into the Leaky Cauldron's fireplace, where her cousins await her. Hugo, mum and dad are soon to follow.

"Where to first?" Asks Uncle Harry once everyone has arrived safely.

"The Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?" Suggests James hopefully. "I think that would be a good idea."

"Not a chance," Says Aunt Ginny. "School comes first. Besides, why do you want to go there so badly?"

"I want to see Uncle George and Aunt Angelina-" He starts in a voice the clearly says 'duh'.

"That's a likely story. I got several stern letters last year informing me of the _fun _you had with the items purchased at Uncle George's store."

"Mum…"

"How about we go to Gringotts first, then Flourish and Blotts?" Suggests Aunt Hermione. "We can split up after that, take care of the small things we need to buy. That way we'll have more time to do other things after. Like, you know, go to George's store."

"I like that idea!"

"Shut up, James," Says Albus exasperatedly.

"Yeah, James," Echoes Hugo, who idolises Al.

"Alright, let's get on, then," Dad says, ushering the group towards the door.

* * *

Rose spends her afternoon with Albus as they discuss year one and the upcoming ten months. "I'm excited to see our friends again," he says at one point, "But I'm not looking forward to Charms."

In Florean Fortsecue's Ice Cream Parlour, they come across Alice Wood and Marvin Thomas. Piper Longbottom is at Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions and Caitir is in Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"I want to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team!" She exclaims upon seeing them. "What about you?"

Rose and Al reckon Quidditch runs in their family and they're both anticipating a spot on the team at some point in their school career. "Absolutely," Rose says. "I want to be a Beater, like my uncle."

"I want to go for Keeper, but I don't know how many second-years they'll let onto the team," Caitir replies nervously. "I'm sure you lot would be great at it, though!"

"I think being a Beater would be great for letting out stress," Says Rose brightly. "You know, if Scorpius ever drives me up the wall, I can just go hit a few bludgers around until I feel better!"

Caitir laughs but still looks fairly apprehensive. After the pair wave away her worries and exit the shop, they stand in the middle of the street. "Reckon we should meet everyone back at the Leaky Cauldron?" Al asks. "I'm sure it's been two hours by now."

"Yeah," she replies. "Yeah, if you haven't got anything you want to buy."

"Hey," he says suddenly. "Hey, look, it's The Scorpion and his mum and dad."

Rose looks up sharply and makes eye contact with Scorpius. He raises and eyebrow and smirks in recognition. She can feel his cockiness radiating from down the cobbled street. "There's someone I haven't missed," she mutters under her breath, making her way towards the blonde boy. "Remind me not to punch him in front of his parents, will you, Al?"

"But-" Albus replies, confused, "I thought you were the perfect one who wouldn't dare punch Scorpius or anyone! And I thought you two were on better terms now!"

"He makes me act uncharacteristically violent," Rose retorts. "Also, how many times do we have to tell everyone? That whole 'being on better terms' was a one-time thing, like a truce, so he could get help with his exams. He's an annoying prat."

"Hey, Weasel, Albus," Scorpius calls, walking up to the pair.

"Hello, Scorpion," Rose says. "How was your summer?"

"It was lovely. I didn't have to put up with you at all. How about you?" he replies with a falsely kind smile. Rose grinds her teeth; she was going to use that insult. Why does he always have to get the better of her?

"Oh, fine. I'm thinking of joining the school team as a beater so that if I can imagine the bludgers as your face. I'll perform at the highest level possible with _that _strategy." She rolls her eyes and silently thanks her parent's genes for allowing her to think quickly.

"Ooh, good one, Weasel," Says Scorpius just as his parents catch up to him. "Dad," he says, looking up, "This is Rose Weasley and Albus Potter. They're, uh, in my year at school."

"And in your house," Says Mr. Malfoy coldly, sizing up Rose and her cousin. "So," he directs his attention towards her, "You're the daughter of Weasley and Granger."

"I am, Mr. Malfoy," She replies cautiously, afraid of the vibe that Scorpius's father gives off.

"The blood traitor and the mudblood," he whispers under his breath – Scorpius give his dad an irritated look - but before Rose can say anything, he continues on to Al. "And you're Potter's son. The Boy Who Lived. The Chosen One." He practically spits the words out.

"Um…yes," Says Al. "And you're the guy who worked for the evil side during the second wizarding war."

"Let me ask you something, Potter," Says Mr. Malfoy. Rose glances at her cousin nervously. "How is it that you know about that war, and who my loyalties were in said war, but you didn't know what a…_hero _your father was until last September?"

"Er…" Stutters Albus. "How did you find that out? I really don't-"

Scorpius looks angry. "Come _on, _dad, let's go," He says, pulling his father's arm firmly. "See you around, Potter, Weasel."

Rose can't help smiling because Scorpius seems very similar to her. He dislikes her because she's her, not because father's past rivalries with her parents. They're the same in more ways than they would expect.

* * *

"Cheers," Everyone echoes, raising their glass and drinking.

Rose sighs, glancing around her grandparent's yard with content. August sunsets are the best, she decides, with their pink and orange skies and warm evenings and happy crickets. Add to that the prospect of returning to Hogwarts tomorrow, a full meal in front of her, and a family she can't help but love – even though there are times when she wants to tear many of their heads off – it's impossible not to feel extremely happy.

Rose, hunger overtaking all other thoughts, digs into the food Grandma Weasley has prepared. There is a loud chatter but Rose tunes out most of the noise, happy for once to sit in silence. Everyone discusses their future; where they'll work, in Vic's case, and what house they'd like to be sorted into, in Louis's case. She thinks about her own future while the group talks; what second year will be like, what classes she'll take when she has more choices, how fun Hogsmeade will be when she's old enough to go there, what she'd like to do as a profession when she's older. Rose can't help but feel that tonight is a time to reflect on the past and future; she can't help but feel more excited than ever for the next six years at school.

Rose also can't help but feel like the corniest person on earth. So she joins in with the family's conversation and makes the best of her last few hours of summer.


	5. Year 2: I

**Word count this chapter: **2,830  
**A/N: **So, sorry for the wait. This is year 2, part one. I'm trying to hit between 5 and 8 reviews this time, so please drop even a 'nice job!' It only takes a few seconds c: (I'm a review whore, I know.) Try to enjoy it!

* * *

"Rose, get _off _me!"

"I knew we shouldn't have done side-along Apparition!"

"Shut up, Hugo!"

"_James!"_

"You shut up too, Lily!"

"Al, move-"

"Everyone, _quiet!"_

The powerful voice of Rose's mum turns everybody silent. "You're causing a scene, you five!" Mum hisses angrily. "I know we're in an alleyway, but that doesn't mean you've got an excuse to _shout. _What would you do if some unsuspecting Muggles walked in on us right now?"

"I'd bloody well hope they know I'm _related_ to this lot," James grumbles, extracting his leg from under Lily and brushing dust of his pants. "Although I suppose that then this would look like incest. Still weird. Why couldn't we have taken the car?"

"Don't swear, James," reprimands Aunt Ginny, though Dad and Uncle Harry look highly amused. "And, don't you remember? Dad, in his infinite wisdom, parked the car illegally and got it towed. Aunt Hermione's and Uncle Ron's… some sort of part broke, Granddad Weasley tried to fix it, and it got even worse." She sighs. "Besides, it'll be good for you to learn what Apparition feels like. You'll have to do it someday."

"Yeah, well," says James, picking up his trunk, "I'm not looking forward to that day."

Rose exchanges a glance with Albus. Though he looks slightly put off after having landed at the bottom of the heap, _she_ rather enjoyed the experience. The actual suffocating feeling of Apparition was no fun, but it's a novelty to her; and landing in between James and Hugo, thinking about her situation, is sort of comical.

"Come on, we'd better get going," Beams Rose. "We don't want to miss the train. Plus, we'll want to get a compartment with Caitir and Alice and Marvin and Amity."

"And Scorpius," Says Al. "Come on, Rose, don't pretend like you don't like him. We all know that you two are friends – or, as you like to say with your Muggle slang – _frenemies._"

"Yes, well," Rose rolls her eyes and says in a superior tone, "I guess I won't kick him out of our compartment if he sits with us."

"What are we talking about? Does ickle Rosie have a crush?" James pipes up, sticking his head between the two and grinning eagerly.

Blushing furiously, even though there's nothing to be embarrassed about, and changes the topic. "No, but I think Albus is fond of someone. Or at least, she's fond of him."

"Who?" Demands James, stopping in his tracks. "I must know so I can go tell her about it."

"What?" Says Al, aghast. "Since when did I like anyone, Rosie? I'd like to think you would have told me this before."

"Well, I'm not sure if _you_ fancy anyone, but I know Caitir can't get enough of you. I've seen your letters to each other; in fact, there she is now!" Rose smiles brightly, gesturing to the tall, sandy-haired girl some two hundred feet away.

Al is redder than Rose was earlier and James is laughing with glee. "Who knew twelve year-olds could have crushes?" He snorts, shaking his head.

"Well," Counters Rose, "I don't see you going on any dates with girls. I suppose fourteen year-olds don't have crushes, either."

"What?" He sputters. "I can- I can get a date if I want to! Just you wait!"

"Oh?" Asks Al, happy now. "Like who?"

"W-well," Says James, "Ellie Macmillan, I could go on a date with her."

Albus frowns. "She's in Hufflepuff. You never even talk to her."

"So? Molly's in Hufflepuff, Dom's in Ravenclaw, what's the problem with that?" Retorts James. "Besides, Scorpius is a Slytherin at heart. You're friends with _him."_

"Scorpius is not a Slytherin at heart!" Fumes Rose. "Would everyone get _over _themselves? He's in our house, he's….I…" she struggles for words. "And I dislike him because he's annoying, not because his parents don't like ours! Alright?"

Before anyone has a chance to reply to her completely random outburst, Uncle Harry steps in. "Stop tormenting each other, you three," he chastises. "Whatever you're arguing about, I'm sure it's stupid."

"Yes," Says Rose, head held high. "It's completely stupid."

* * *

"Well," Says Caitir, "I went to Hill Town in the summer, because my grandparents live there. Then we spent the rest of it home in Dublin, but we went camping for some time all the way in Ennis, which was nice." She beams. "How about you lot?"

"I visited Germany," Says Amity Nott animatedly. "We saw tons of big cities and everything."

"Ugh, you're all so _boring,_" moans James. "I'm going to find my cousins. Rose, Al, do me a favour and stay put."

Albus rolls his eyes as James leaves. "Ignore him," he informs everyone, and so they do.

"I was in Southampton," shrugs Scorpius. "Not much, but my mum's family is there, anyway. My dad doesn't like visiting his parents much."

"Why ever?" Asks Caitir, turning her attention to Scorpius. Rose knows she doesn't like him much, but it's not like Caitir Finnigan to pass up a piece of gossip.

"Well, er, my granddad's not too pleased with me, see, being put in Gryffindor. He's a right old git but it still makes dinner rather… _awkward_," Scorpius shakes his head disapprovingly. "If only he'd just grow up, honestly…"

Rose nods, approving of Scorpius's attitude. "It's like when we were in Diagon Alley, and your dad was talking down to me and Al. It made things awkward," she beams.

Alice turns to look at Scorpius. "Did he really?" She asks, amused. "Sounds like a great dad."

Scorpius rolls his eyes at Rose. "See, Weasel, this is why I haven't missed you at all."

"It's OK, Scorp, because I really haven't missed you, either."

* * *

"I can't wait for the _food," _moans Rose under her breath as student after student is sorted. "Why are there so many of them?"

"Shut it," hisses Al, laughing a little. "This was us last year, we've got to be nice."

"She's got a point!" Caitir exclaims in a hushed tone. "I'm half-starved here!"

"They're at the 'R's already," replies Alice Wood quickly. "You've not got long to wait."

"I was just about to get sorted this time last year," comments Marvin Thomas, shaking his head. "Odd how time goes like that."

"I was so nervous," Rose reminisces. "Remember, Caitir? I wouldn't stop bothering you about it."

"Or me," Albus adds.

"I remember," she shakes her head disapprovingly. "You didn't have so much to fret over, did you?"

"I did," Scorpius snorts. He's got that look on his face that says, 'I'm about to say something witty'. Rose watches warily. "I still do, in fact. Every day, it's a struggle when I get up; I think, _how am I going to put up with Rose?_"

This elicits a bubble of laughter from the five – yes, including Rose – as the last student is sorted and more clapping ensues.

Finally, everyone is instructed to 'tuck in' and food begins appearing on the plates. Rose eagerly digs into all the food around her, peering curiously at the brand new Gryffindors. They're huddled closely together, looking nervous of the other students; aside from one small boy who seems to be off to the side. Rose watches him for a few moments before shrugging and turning back to her roast. She notices Scorpius looking back and forth from her to the outcast First-Year boy, but he doesn't comment.

"Excited to go to Hogsmeade next year?" Caitir is asking Albus eagerly, barely heard through her mouthful of food.

"More excited to try out for the House Quidditch Team!" He exclaims. "I _really _want to be a Seeker!"

"I think Chaser would be cool," contributes Rose, beaming.

"Thought you said something about Beater," says Scorpius thoughtfully, chewing his steak. "You know, you imagining my face on the Bludger so you could hit it better."

"Well," Rose replies, cheeks flushing a little, "I thought about it; uncle George was a Beater in his time. But they don't get any glory, do they?"

"It doesn't sound much like you to be worried about _glory_." Scorpius crinkles his nose. "That sounds like something I would say."

"Maybe you're rubbing off on me," she says brightly, and then nearly chokes on her food. "…Did I just actually say that?"

"Who were you looking at during supper?" Scorpius inquires after the feast is over. "You kept glancing over at someone, almost like they were distracting you, or, I dunno. Something was interesting."

"Some first year boy," Rose comments, craning her neck around to see if she can find them. It's no use, though; the crowd is far too thick with everyone filing out the door.

"Why?"

She glances at Scorpius distastefully, then rolls her eyes. "All the first years, all ten of them were sticking together at supper except him, and I want to know why."

"Maybe he's the only muggle-born," suggest Scorpius. Before Rose can lash out, he raises his hands in defense and says, "I'm not discriminating! It's probably sort of intimidating to find out you're magic, to go to some random school in the middle of nowhere and then come into the Great Hall, only to find _floating candles_."

"You've got a point," sighs Rose. "But anyway," she narrows her eyes and smiles determinedly, "He's going to be my project."

"Well," Scorpius smiles good-naturedly, "Sometimes projects are meant for two people." Rose looks at him questioningly but says nothing in protest.

* * *

**October **

The boy who Rose had her eyes on during the feast is called Terrace Kingsley. He is, like Scorpius suggested, a muggle-born from Edinburgh. His parents are muggle scientists who were fascinated but confused upon finding out about his magic. Rose and Scorpius sometimes see him talking to Ivy Cole, a girl who, though also being muggle-born, has a magic uncle. He has told her all about the wizarding world. Therefore, she wasn't nervous about coming to Hogwarts.

Rose quite likes Terrace. He opened up to her when he wasn't willing to do so with his other classmates, and he's rather funny at times. He reminds her of Hugo. Scorpius thinks he's sort of annoying. But when he says this, Rose only replies with, 'You said he'd be your project too. No backing out now,' to which Scorpius rolls his eyes and says, 'I guess it _is _endearing more than annoying.'

"_I _grew up with four sisters and a brother," Terrace proudly tells Al one day, upon hearing him complain about his siblings. "You've got a brother and sister? Nothing!"

"You've forgotten," says Al irritably, "that my brother can do magic, and my sister will be able to someday. Yours can only throw punches when they're upset."

"Shut it, Al," says Scorpius amusedly, watching Terrace's proud smile.

"Well, whatever. I'm going back to my Potions homework. Which you two should probably do, by the way," he says to Rose and Scorpius.

"Scorp and I will be fine," sighs Rose. "It's not due 'till tomorrow. I can do it later."

"I'm doing mine," Caitir says, joining the conversation. Rose looks at her, irritated.

"Caitir, this is Terrace," says Rose, gesturing towards the small, curly-haired blonde boy in an attempt to change the subject.

"We've met," the Irish girl says shortly. She doesn't like Terrace much; Rose should have remembered that before trying to introduce him again. But Rose suspects it's because Al doesn't love Terrace, and Caitir seems to be inclined to do whatever Albus wants.

"What've you got here?" Asks Roxanne, striding over to inspect the first-year. He stares up at her – Rose thinks he's nervous, but then realises, with shock and an urge to laugh – that his cheeks are red and he's smiling a little. Roxanne is a _fifth-year! _And he's eleven! Of course, she is pretty. Rox and Fred are the only Weasleys to be born with a chocolate complexion, small freckles and large, dark eyes; a gift from their mum.

"Hi, Rox. This is Terrace, he's in first year," Rose beams. Alice and Marvin are glancing over from their game of Wizard's Chess, curious to find the source of the noise but quickly turn back; they've both met Terrace before.

"Hi, Terrace!" Roxanne says brightly, waving a hand. "I've got O.W.L revision to do, so we'll meet some other time, deal?"

With that, Roxanne is gone. "Snap out of it, Ter," Scorpius says, snapping his fingers in front of Terrace's face. "She's four years older than you, you're not allowed to make googly eyes at her."

Blushing furiously, Terrace raises his arms in defense. "She's pretty," he mumbles.

Caitir is laughing silently over her homework, shoulders shaking. Rose scowls. She's come to love Caitir dearly, but honestly, the girl is too hung up on Albus. Yes, she likes him as a friend, which is fine, but she could at least _try _to be independent.

Later on, most of the Gryffindors have retreated to their rooms, except for Rose and Scorpius, who have resolved to finish their Potions work. Rose, though she maintains that Scorpius annoys her to no end, is quite content to sit here with him; it's rather peaceful, actually.

"Scorp," Rose says suddenly, putting down her quill – and consequently dripping ink all over her homework – "Why doesn't Caitir like Terrace?"

Scorpius removes the quill from Rose's paper and puts it back in its pot before replying. "I think the actual question is why doesn't _Al _like Terrace, because Caitir has a lovely tendency to do almost whatever he does." He sighs. "But probably he just finds him irritating, I don't know."

"I like Terrace," frowns Rose. "Even you said he was endearing. I suppose I really just wanted to see if you felt the same way about Caitir idolising Al."

"She does it because she looks up to him and likes him as a friend," shrugs Scorpius. "I've no problem with that, but if it irritates you, that's fine. I guess."

"Hm."

"I don't know if you've noticed, since you're not so perceptive-"

"-Hey!-"

"But Al and I are rather good friends. He and Caitir like each other a lot, that's all. Give it a few years and they'll be snogging – or worse – in broom cupboards."

"Oh, ew!" Rose exclaims. "Leave it to you to turn the situation vulgar. S'pose you're right, though, it's alright if they like each other. As friends, I mean. And maybe as more someday."

Scorpius curls his lip. "Wonder when that day'll come."

* * *

**November**

It's cold already, colder than Rose thinks it should be. She prefers warm weather, the kind she experienced when she visited southern France one summer with her family. There has been one large snowfall – far too early for this time of year, most people say – that cancelled Herbology a few weeks back.

Rose is walking down up the path fromHerbology, head bowed a little against the wind. She hung back to give Professor Longbottom a greeting from her parents, causing all of her friends to leave her behind; ergo, she walks alone.

In the distance, a green-clad figure is running towards her, clutching a slip of parchment. She squints and as the figure draws nearer, she makes it out to be Amity Nott.

"Rose! Rose!" Amity's normally soothing, but now excited, voice calls.

"Amity?" She asks, though she knows it's her. "What is it?"

"Rose, I got onto the Slytherin Quidditch team!"

"_What? _You, a second year?"

"Well, I'm sure you would have gotten on too if you'd had any openings on the Gryffindor team," she says breathlessly, waving the acceptance slip around. "But the Chaser, she was a seventh-year. Brilliant at Quidditch, really, but she dropped out of school to go live with some muggle boy she likes... and so the spot opened, I tried out, and I outflew some fifth-years even! I'm the youngest on the team!" Amity's deathly pale cheeks flush pink with happiness and Rose beams.

"Leave it to a Slytherin to outfly everyone older than her," she jokes, knocking Amity on the shoulder. "Have you told anyone yet?"

"I only found out now, so you're the first one. But they'll all know soon enough."

"Good."

"…What did you mean, _'leave it to a Slytherin to outfly everyone older than her'_?"

Rose giggles, a little embarrassed. "Only that you're cunning. You probably Confounded them all or something."

"Well!" Amity says, pretending to be shocked and offended. She retaliates with, "leave it to a Gryffindor to insult a Slytherin!"

Instead of answering, Rose simply scoops up some dirty leftovers of last week's snowfall, packs it into a ball, and hurls it at Amity with a grin.

"_Hey!" _

Rose gets snow chucked back at her in return. The two run up to the castle in a fit of giggles, draping their green-and-scarlet-clothed arms around each other.

Anyone who had fought in the war against Voldemort would have smiled; this equality was what they had been fighting for.

* * *

I figured I needed some Amity character-building. And in case anyone hadn't noticed, this story is focused mostly on Rose and Scorp's relationship-building through the years. Since you know what daily Hogwarts life is like, I don't feel need to focus heavily on that. Probably will when O.W.L's and N.E.W.T's begin because they're important. Also I should probably give up on trying to make this a short-ish story...

Please **review!**


	6. Year 2: II

**Word count this chapter: **1,500 (not including A/Ns).**  
A/N: **I'm sorry for such a wait. Really. I've been on a road trip. 7 will be up in the next few weeks, and I've got a solid plan for the story now. Not much to say here! Shorter chapter, figured I'd give you a bit of a break... also, I'm averaging at about 5/6 reviews per chapter, so shooting for 7 or even 8 would be amazing :). I'll promise to try and review back to you if you review me!

* * *

**December**

"Until then, have a good Christmas," calls Headmistress McGonagall, waving as the castle doors shut behind ninety-some students. A few wave back as they pile into carriages drawn by invisible beasts; Thestrals, Uncle Harry calls them. Rose, head bowed against the wind, clambers into a carriage with Scorpius, Amity, Caitir and Al; the five are packed tightly together. None of them mind, though, because the howling wind and thickly-falling snow make the carriage cold – even with the windows shut. She's relieved when they get on the warm train.

"There it is," Caitir sighs, shaking her head.

"There's what? Asks Scorpius, confused.

Rose nods. "Yeah, there's what?"

"Another half-year, gone," she responds. Then, leaning back, she adds, "time really does fly!"

Shaking his head with a smile, Al says, "You sound like my parents."

Scorpius shudders. "I'm going to have to see my grandfather at Christmas. The Death Eater one. I'm not looking forward to _that_."

"I'm sure he isn't, either," retorts Rose. "I wouldn't be, if I had you as a grandson."

"Hey!"

Caitir snorts and Rose can't help smiling. It's hard to stay angry with Caitir; Rose finds it hard to stay angry with almost _anyone, _even Scorpius Malfoy. He's begun to – as much as she hates to admit it – _grow _on her. Scorpius is annoying, but a little endearing, and sometimes funny. (Al likes him far too much.)

"_Oh, he's not so bad, Rose. He's nice to _me!" She can hear his voice in her mind. Scorpius, Al, and Marvin make for an inseparable trio. Rose quite likes the fact that her, Caitir, Alice Wood and the three boys get along well. They all seem to think her and Scorpius's petty arguments are beyond entertaining, but they've got no faults other than that.

"Rosie, wake up!" Albus says, waving a hand in front of his cousin. "The trolley's here, you'd probably like to buy something, right?"

She forks over six sickles and two knuts for a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavoured Beans and four Chocolate Frogs. "Here," she says, tossing a frog to Scorpius, who has no money.

"Sweet," he beams. "Thanks, Weasel!"

"I'll take it back from you if you keep calling my Weasel," Rose rolls her eyes.

"Right. Sorry, Rosie."

"I see you're calling her Rosie now?" Caitir asks, amused. "When did you two become such chums?"

"We're not chums," they say in perfect unison. Then they turn to look at each other; an unspoken staring contest, which Scorpius ends up winning.

* * *

**January**

"I can't wait till next year," sighs Alice Wood. "Just think. We'll get to go to Hogsmeade!"

"We'll be able to go to Zonko's Joke Shop," says Al, exchanging a grin with Scorpius. "I'm looking forward to _that._"

"And what about the Shrieking Shack?" Says Caitir excitedly. "I'd love to go in there."

"You wouldn't be scared?" Amity Nott whispers, looking up from her homework. "There's all sorts of stories about it."

"Oh, don't be such a Hufflepuff," says Scorpius under his breath, making sure no teachers are around to reprimand them for talking during study period. "It'd be fun."

"I'm only saying," she replies defensively, "That you've got no idea what lives in there."

"That's what we want to find out!" Caitir beams. "Plus, they say the Butterbeer's great at the Three Broomsticks."

Marvin frowns. "Isn't Butterbeer the same everywhere?"

"No way. It's terrible in Ireland."

Rose looks at Caitir skeptically but doesn't comment, for a teacher is upon them. "Why aren't you focusing on your work, students?" demands Professor Howell, staring at their blank pieces of parchment.

"Well, er… see, we-" Rose begins, but is interrupted.

"-Yes, that's what I thought. Get on it; I want to see all of your progress at the end of class."

Scorpius makes an exasperated noise when Professor Howell leaves. "Oh, fabulous."

**March**

* * *

With winter melting into spring, teachers are beginning to think about exams. "_Already?" _Scorpius would exclaim. "It's March!"

The workload begins to heavy and Fred's O.W.L's are mere weeks away. Molly is already starting to take her N.E.W.T exams, but nobody seems to have any doubt that she'll ace them. Rose doesn't envy either of them. Professors have already begun to threaten them with the prospect of O. . _"The work habits you develop now could affect your O. _!" They would say whenever Rose forgot her homework.

Homework isn't, however, usually a pressing issue for Rose. The spitting image of her mother, she almost always does her work the day she gets it, rolling her eyes at Scorpius and Albus whenever they rush to finish theirs the morning it's due. And just like Ron and Harry to Hermione, Scorp and Al are constantly pressing her to 'help' them. (What they're really asking is for her to do their work, and she knows it.) Once in a while, Rose slacks off and is reprimanded harshly for it. She can't see why; maybe teachers are used to Scorpius, Albus, and Caitir handing in half-finished sheets of parchment.

Either way, Rose doesn't really mind. Helping her friends makes her feel like their big sister.

* * *

**May **

Easter having passed weeks ago, everyone is diligently studying for their exams.

Well, _diligently _may be something of an overstatement.

"Rose!" groans Scorpius, lying dramatically over a wooden chair. "I need _help!_"

"Yeah," sighs Albus. "Rose, why did you get the smart genes?"

"It's not fair," agrees Caitir. "We're dying over here. I dunno _how _I expect to make it to my O. , let alone my N.E. . This stuff makes no sense."

Rose huffs. "I didn't get the smart genes. I got the '_occasionally motivated to study genes'. _Scorp, stop being so dramatic. And Caitir, what's impossible? Honestly, sometimes I think I should have been a Ravenclaw."

"Well, they want us to explain what makes Transfiguration a 'complicated art'. I mean, sometimes it's bloody impossible, but it's not a complicated art, I wouldn't say. I don't know what they want us to write."

"Just make up something. Teachers eat that stuff up." Rose pulls her impossibly thick red hair back with an elastic, thinking maybe she should chop it all off. Then at least it won't get in her way.

"I think you'd be a dumb Ravenclaw," says Al. "I mean, Lysander says he's near the bottom of his class, and he's one of the smartest people I know."

"Well," Rose says. "Thank you for that, Albus. Maybe-"

"-Uh-oh. You know Rose is mad when she calls Al Albus. Maybe you shouldn't have said that, mate-"

Drawing in a breath, Rose glares at Scorpius before continuing. "Maybe Lorcan is smarter?"

"I thought Lorcan and Lysander were twins," frowns Caitir. "Why are they not in the same year? Aren't most twins the _same age_?"

Albus grins. "Weird story, really. They're born a few hours apart, but Lysander was born in December - the thirty-first – and Lorcan on January first. Lysander was so smart when he was little that he almost went into school a year early, which would have put them two years apart. That'd be even weirder."

Rose tries to tune them out but looks up when she feels a pair of eyes on her. She snaps her head up to see Scorpius watching her absently. "What d'you want, Malfoy?" she asks, raising an eyebrow

Though he's blushing furiously, Scorpius composes himself in a moment. "Did it hurt when you fell from heaven, Rose?"

"Er – what?"

"Because I think there's something wrong with your face."

Even though Rose is sure he's said that to salvage the situation – (in Rose's book, there's nothing more embarrassing than being caught staring at someone) – she narrows her eyes. "There'll be payback for that one, Scorp."

**June**

* * *

With another year past them, Rose and her friends are in a considerably great mood on the train back home. But something happens to make her feel even better.

When she's pulling her trunk off the ledge after almost everyone has left the compartment, Scorpius says, "Hey Rose, can I talk to you?"

"Er. Sure," she replies nervously, unsure what he could want.

"Um." Scorpius brushes blonde hair out of his pale face with his index and middle finger, a habit of his. "Well, we've been sort of mean to each other in the past two ears. And, I hated your guts when we were eleven. But we're on a bit better terms now, right?"

"Right…"

"I mean, Al's my pretty good mate, and Caitir probably doesn't like me much, but I think we're sort of friends. And so maybe going into year three can be a sort of fresh start for you and me? I mean, teasing's all good and well, but, I mean, it'd be nice to think of you as my friend."

"Yeah." Rose looks at him strangely. But she says sincerely, "I'd like that too."

After that, Rose feels oddly light and bubbly.

Who knew that Scorpius Malfoy's friendship would make her happy?


End file.
